1953 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was the first time an organized list of female names was used to name Atlantic storms. It officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15, although activity occurred both before and after the season's limits. The season was active with fourteen total storms, six of which developed into hurricanes; four of the hurricanes attained major hurricane status, or a Category 3 or greater on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
| 1953 Atlantic hurricane season | |
|---|---|
Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | May 25, 1953 |
| Last system dissipated | December 9, 1953 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Carol |
| • Maximum winds | 160 mph (260 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure | 929 mbar (hPa; 27.43 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total depressions | 19 |
| Total storms | 14 |
| Hurricanes | 7 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 3 |
| Total fatalities | 14+ |
| Total damage | $3.75 million (1953 USD) |
| Related articles | |
The strongest hurricane of the season was Carol, although by the time it struck Atlantic Canada it was much weaker. Both hurricanes Barbara and Florence struck the United States; the former crossed the Outer Banks and impacted much of the east coast, and Florence struck a sparsely populated region of the Florida Panhandle without causing much damage. Bermuda was threatened by three hurricanes within two weeks. In addition to the hurricanes, Tropical Storm Alice developed in late May and left several fatalities in Cuba. The final hurricane of the season, Hazel, produced additional rainfall in Florida after previous flooding conditions. There were several unnamed storms, the last of which dissipated on December 9.